On the Road
by Haitus80
Summary: Takes place on the road between seasons two and three. The winter is taking everything out of Carol so Daryl steps in to help. Rated for smut. Very short story.
1. Chapter 1

**This was suppose to be my annual Birthday One Shot for a friend of mine but by now you know how I can't seem to keep anything condensed. Instead of a one shot you get a four chapter story instead. It's nothing flashy, just some Caryl. Hope you enjoy and thank you for giving it a shot!**

 **Chapter One**

She felt like she was dying. The fire was too low to help very much and she hadn't gotten to bed down quick enough so she was further away from it than everyone else was anyway. The temperature had dropped throughout the night and she knew that sleep would never come with the way her body was quaking from the cold.

Every night was cold and had been for a while now but not like this. This was the kind of cold that the flimsy tattered blanket wouldn't keep at bay. The ground was hard and frozen and she tried hard to stay still, to will her body to produce enough heat to warm up one small spot and keep her from freezing to death. But there just wasn't enough of her left now. The constant running had left her body almost gaunt.

She envied the others. T-dog had been sure to bed down as close to the fire as he could so he was one of the few that was able to warm up that way. Rick had Carl and Lori to share body heat with. Beth had Hershel and Maggie had Glenn. It was just her and Daryl on the outside again.

She opened her eyes at the thought of him. He was on watch and she hoped that he was okay out there. At least she was able to hunker down under the blankets but he was out there in the bitter cold, walking the perimeter, keeping them safe.

She made a pained sound as a shiver ripped through her. She was so cold that it hurt and she was actually scared. She was scared that she wasn't going to make it till morning. For the first time in a while, she wished she weren't alone in this. Not that she missed her husband in the least, but maybe if Sophia were here, they would have been able to keep each other warm. The thought of watching her daughter waste away or freeze to death was dismal, however, and she shook off the thought. Sophia wouldn't ever have to suffer like this and Carol felt as though she should be grateful for it.

She sat up suddenly and was about to rearrange her blankets when she glanced over and was staring Daryl Dixon right in the knees. She hadn't heard him approach her but that wasn't surprising. The man was as silent as a spirit when he needed to be.

"You okay?" He asked, his voice hushed.

She nodded and then blew out a breath and shook her head instead. "I think tonight is finally gonna do me in. I've never been so cold before."

"It might help if you'd stop giving your goddamn food away. Losin' weight like you've been doin' is what will do you in," he grumbled. He dumped something on the ground next to her and she squinted in the dark. It looked like his own bedding.

"Lori needs it more than I do, and I'm not the only one starving," she said, watching with wide eyes as he sat down heavily.

He pulled his pack onto his lap and started rummaging through it. "Yeah, well, just because she got herself knocked up don't mean you should fucking starve for it. I didn't see anybody handing over their share."

She frowned. "Be nice. We're all miserable. There isn't any reason to be mean."

"Here," he elbowed her sharply and shoved something into her had. "And there is a reason to be mean. You didn't put her in that situation, she did it on her own and now you're out here half froze to death and starvin' while her and her brood are all three sleepin' half in the camp fire, warm with full stomachs. I found these a few days ago in a car and stashed them away so eat."

She held up the package and saw that he had given her two protein bars. Her stomach chose that moment to rumble embarrassingly loud. It took her a few tries to open the package since her hands were shaking so hard from the cold. Her body quaked next to his and she felt embarrassed and wasn't even sure why. She didn't want him to feel like she needed to be taken care of. She could take care of herself just fine. She didn't want to feel like a burden and for a while now, she had pulled her own weight without a hitch.

"Stop brooding," he grumbled, arranging his things in the spot next to her.

She looked over, watching him make quick work of the blankets, creating a strategic nest. "I'm not brooding." She took a bite of the stale protein bar and chewed thoughtfully. "What are you doing?"

He looked up and then shed his jacket, tossing it to her. "I'm workin' on keepin' you alive. You can thank me later when you wake up with all ten toes."

She quickly finished the bars and dusted her frozen hands off. She winced because it hurt. "We're sharing?" She picked up the jacket and shoved her arms through the sleeves. She stifled a moan as the heat started seeping into her. She wanted to argue and tell him to keep it because there wasn't any sense in him freezing with her but to hell with that. If he was in the mood to play knight in worn leather then by all means, she'd let him.

"I could hear your teeth chatterin' from clear across camp. Yeah, we're sharin."

She felt a small smile lift the corner of her mouth. The prospect of his warmth had her sold but she would be a liar if she tried to tell herself that she wasn't going to enjoy this situation much more than she had any right to.

He settled down in the nest he'd made with what they had and then looked up at her expectantly. He huffed out a breath. "It's only gonna work if you actually lay the fuck down, Carol. Sittin' there starin' ain't gonna warm either one of us up." His voice was so gruff that the smile died on her lips.

"You know, if you'd just not speak you would be a lot more charming," she muttered, settling down next to him, unsure if she was allowed to actually get close enough to touch him or not.

He snorted. "My charm ain't what's gonna keep you alive. And this ain't the time to be shy. Scoot the fuck over here. I'm freezin'."

She moved over cautiously until their sides were pressed together and then she had to stifle a small laugh.

His head came up. "What's so damn funny?"

She shook her head. "I was just wondering if you'd get offended if I tried to crawl underneath you right now. And then I pictured the look on your face if I were to actually try, and that, Daryl Dixon, was a funny image."

"Yeah, well, one of us dyin' tonight ain't too funny," he said in a low voice. Her eyes snapped open when she felt him shift next to her. The weight of his body pressed her deeper into the blankets he'd used to keep them off the cold ground. He covered half of her, his leg pushing up between her own. He pulled the blankets up over their heads, cutting off the meager light. His hands worked their way into the open front of the coat he had loaned her and then were around her. "Ain't neither one of us gonna freeze, and you can't even see the look on my face so quit giggling like a school girl and try to get some sleep," he muttered quietly.

With her heart hammering embarrassingly loud in her ears she tentatively raised her free leg until it was wrapped around the one he'd shoved between her thighs. Her body was still trembling but the heat he was putting off was quickly working into her, letting her body relax. The way he had them wrapped up, there was no way someone wouldn't be able to tell the position they were in, innocent or not. But it didn't matter because it trapped the heat.

His head dropped to her chest and even though she knew he was only doing this out of necessity, it was hard to talk her body out of responding to him. Responding to him in a way that was shocking. She felt heat flood her face because his ear was pressed against her heart and she knew that he could hear it now, pounding out a painful rhythm.

She didn't want to feel this way but she did. She had loved him since the farm and there wasn't anything she could do about it. And usually it wasn't something she really even thought of very much but this situation brought all of those forbidden feelings to the surface.

But at least she was warm.

~H~

He hadn't been able to stand seeing her suffer anymore. The woman did a lot for all of them and never asked for anything in return. She sacrificed silently and no one seemed to see it but him and that was why he was here. He'd insisted on sharing what he could with her, including the heat that his body could provide hers. He couldn't just go on to his own spot and sleep, knowing she was freezing to death.

And if he was being honest with himself, which he rarely was, he would admit that this was the perfect opportunity to get closer to her. Something he found himself wanting to do a lot but never really doing it because there was never a reason.

He listened to the hard quick beat of her heart against his ear and raised his head again. He hadn't realized that maybe his proximity would make her nervous. Maybe she wouldn't want the others thinking that they were messing around. Maybe she was... was she afraid of him?

Well shit! She probably thought he'd done all this just so he could fuck her! Jesus, why hadn't he thought of that before now? Now he was half on top of her under the damn blankets on the ground.

He raised his head up, finally aware how close their faces were. He couldn't see her but he could feel her warm breath. "You want me to move?" He whispered.

She cleared her throat. "No," she whispered back. "This is the warmest I've been in a long time."

"Then why the hell is your heart beatin' like a bird's? I ain't gotta sleep here."

"I want you to," she said quickly. "I was probably five minutes away from asking T-dog if I could share with him." She tried to laugh but it came out strained.

He scowled in the dark, picturing her in this situation with the other man had his teeth grinding together. It surprised the hell out of him but worse than that, it was a damn confusing feeling. He'd never felt that before. "Well, you're better off here then. That asshole snores somethin' awful."

She worked one of her hands into the front of his shirt and he hissed at the cold feel of her icy palm running up his side, seeking heat. Surely she was only seeking heat. He dropped his head again but still her heart was pounding. Her hand stopped once it was wedged between his chest and her stomach.

He shifted then, just slightly, and her pulse sped up again and she exhaled quickly. He'd closed his eyes but suddenly they snapped open as realization dawned on him. She wasn't afraid of him and he knew it. She never had been. It was something else that had her pulse racing like that.

 _No fucking way_ , he thought wildly. It couldn't be that. It had to be something else. He was just Daryl. He was grumbly and he was an asshole and he was usually filthy. There was no way that she could actually be turned on right now. Hell, he could smell himself for fucks sake! Just to make sure he shifted again, just like he'd done a second ago, moving the leg trapped between hers just slightly.

He hadn't been thinking about this. Not even when he'd climbed on her like that. But now he was thinking about it because again, her breath rushed out of her. He raised his head, his eyes wide, and then he moved the blanket from over their heads so he could see her face. Her eyes were huge and so bright that they were reflecting the starlight.

Jesus Christ, what the fuck was he suppose to do about this? Nothing like this had ever crossed his mind before. It was too damn dangerous to think about things like that when you were constantly watching your ass and trying to live. But right now all was quiet. Things were calm. Other than Rick, who had taken watch after him, the group was asleep. And he could see, clear as day, that she wanted him. Why she would he had no idea, but it was easy to see now that he knew to look for it.

Her lips parted and he came up on his arms. Her chest was moving up and down and each quick breath left a small cloud that dissipated in the cold air.

He looked up from her mouth, his eyes locking onto hers and the look she gave him was so fucking intense that a twisted thrill shot through him. Without thinking about what he was doing he dropped his head, his lips meeting hers.

Instantly the hand that wasn't pressed against chest came up, gripping the back of his head and holding him in place.

This was incredibly fucking stupid. Stupid and dangerous and fucking fantastic. The rush had his body taking on a mind of its own, moving until he was braced between her legs. Her hand slid out from under his shirt and then she was gripping the sides of his face with both hands. She pushed him back enough to break the kiss.

For a terrifying second he thought he had fucked up and read her all wrong but then she raised her head, pressing her lips against his, kissing him much more gently than he had kissed her. It wasn't hard to follow her lead and he understood it. She'd had enough rough in her life so he forced himself to take it easier and found quickly that it was a lot more enjoyable that way.

She sighed, a contented sound that went straight to his head. When her teeth dragged across his bottom lip he felt a growl building in his chest but he forced it down. The kiss went on for a long time, just his lips exploring hers. He couldn't remember anything as soft. He eventually returned the favor, catching her bottom lip between his teeth and pulling lightly.

Before he even thought about what he was doing his tongue slipped between her lips, sliding against hers and causing a low moan to escape her. Her fingers tightened in his hair and she came alive then, kissing him back almost frantically, exploring his mouth.

He pulled back, taking in some much needed air. His head was spinning, his heart was pounding and he was sure that this had opened up a whole new world of terrifying possibilities.

"Walkers!"

Daryl froze at the sound of Rick's frantic voice. "Fuck," he grumbled, shoving himself up off the ground, grabbing her hand and pulling her up with him.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

Carol hadn't expected a repeat of what had happened that night in the cold. They hadn't gotten away from the herd unscathed. They had lost two people and it had taken a toll on all of them, Maggie in particular. Hershel and Beth simply hadn't been fast enough. There had been little time to mourn, since they were constantly on the move, but everyone was a little quieter after that. Everyone seemed to start living in their own heads a little more than they had previously.

Daryl did stay a little closer than he had before that night. They didn't talk about what happened because they had to focus on surviving and finding a stable place for Lori. The memory of that brief heated moment stayed with her though. She thought about it a lot. He seemed to make it his mission to make sure she started looking after herself more. One night when she had been about to offer Lori half of her meager rations he had looked up at her sharply before she had ever opened her mouth, like he had sensed what she was about to do, and had glared at her.

She wasn't afraid that he would do something to hurt her for giving her food away but she did not, for one second, think he wouldn't throw one of those fits he was famous for. So, to avoid the scene he would cause, she had sighed and finished her food.

She didn't miss the fact that he had shoved his own bowl into Lori's hands before stalking off for watch.

It was little things like that; the small changes in him that seemed so enormous to her, but went unnoticed to the rest of them, that had her falling down a slippery slope when it came to the man. He watched out for her as best he could. He made sure she didn't freeze, made sure she got her share of what little food they managed to scrounge up, made sure she was armed and knew how to use the weapon. He was still rough, still impatient with her for the most part, but there was a new look in his eyes when they met hers that had her feeling like just maybe, once things settled down, there would be something new awaiting her, wherever they ended up. If they managed to survive, of course.

"We have to split up," Rick said, ripping her from her thoughts as they rested for a while around a low fire. The coldest of the weather had broken, telling her that months had passed since that night.

Daryl was sitting next to her, his knees pulled up to his chest as he stared into the flames. "What the fuck do you mean, split up?"

Rick eyed all of them in turn. "We have to find somewhere... permanent. We can't keep doing this. The more eyes out there scouting different places, the faster we'll find something."

Carol frowned. "You mean all of us just go? Alone?" She was a lot tougher than she had been but there was no way she thought she was tough enough to go out there by herself. She didn't think any of them were. Except maybe Daryl, who had the survival skills he had needed long before the world turned.

Rick shook his head. "I was thinking we take groups. T-dog can go with me, Lori and Carl. Maggie, Carol, Glenn. I figured you, Daryl, would be able to cover more ground if you were-"

"Carol's goin' with me," Daryl said, his blue eyes boring into Rick's, his tone leaving no room for argument.

Rick's brows pulled together. "I thought-"

Daryl stood up then. "You must've thought wrong then. When do we split up?"

Carol stared at the flames, not saying a word but she could feel curious eyes on her. She refused to look up to meet any of them. Her heart had sank when Rick had suggested them splitting up but his plan made sense. But she hadn't expected Daryl to demand to take her with him. She would slow him down. She wasn't like him. Hell, now that Hershel and Beth were gone, she was probably the weakest link in this group, after Lori anyway. Even Carl was a better shot than her.

But she kept her mouth shut. She didn't want to be stuck playing third wheel to Glenn and Maggie anyway. They were both strong and capable so her being there certainly wouldn't make or break their progress. They would be fine.

"Carol? Is that what you'd rather do?" Rick asked, at least offering her an out if she needed one.

She nodded and stood up herself. "That's fine. Where and when do we meet back up?"

Rick and Daryl shared a look but finally Rick just shrugged. "A week? That would give us all time to spread out and look and then get back."

They all agreed on a place to meet up in seven days. Whoever got their would wait on the others an extra three days for any stragglers before heading back out, either to continue the search or lead the others to anything they found. If no one else showed up in that amount of time, it would probably mean that it was because they hadn't made it. They agreed to leave a note just in case.

Daryl stuck to the woods for the most part, just like she knew he would. And just like she knew she would, she slowed him down. He bypassed terrain that he would normally be able to plow through easily, but since he had her with him, he would have had to move slower. She felt miserable because she knew he had to be regretting the hell out of his split second decision by now.

They were silent for a long time, both focusing on their footing and the sounds around them. She felt like they had to be miles and miles away from any sort of civilization by now but she didn't comment on it.

"Looks like you've been suckin' on a lemon," he muttered, grabbing her hand and pulling her up and over the trunk of a fallen tree.

She scoffed. "No I don't."

He stopped suddenly, his hand shooting out to stop her but it was unnecessary because as soon as he had halted she had grown still. She didn't ask him any questions but she didn't panic. She could tell by his demeanor that there wasn't anything to fear. He'd heard something but it wasn't a walker.

He raised the bow and let a bolt fly. When he lowered it he looked at her and grinned. "You hungry?"

She nodded, following him. He reached down and picked up his kill and she found herself laughing. It was probably the skinniest turkey she'd ever seen but that didn't matter. Since it was only the two of them they would both be fed with some left over.

It didn't take him long to build a fire and while he was busy with that she decided to put some of those skills he had passed down to her to use. She had the bird cleaned and ready by the time he had a good enough fire going.

They ate in companionable silence, leaning against a log with their knees up. Both looked at ease but she knew that he was paying just as much attention to the noises around them as she was. He didn't try to kiss her again and she tried not to let that fact depress her. They couldn't do anything that would put them in danger and she had to consider the fact that this time, with no one else around interrupt, things would possibly get out of hand quickly.

"Why did you want me to come with you? I know that I'm only slowing you down."

He kept his eyes straight ahead, chewing slowly before sucking his fingers clean, which was very distracting since she'd had a taste of his mouth and wanted much more. He shrugged. "You ain't slowin' me down."

She sighed.

He glanced over at her. "Look, you're a hell of a lot better than you were before. You can take care of yourself and I know it. But Maggie's distracted and Glenn is gonna be lookin' out for her. If you went with them you would end up bein' the only one payin' attention to anything. If it's just them out there then they'll be a lot more on their toes."

She accepted that answer with a nod. She was actually a little surprised. She was sure that the only reason he'd insisted on taking her with him was because, in his own way, he cared about her and didn't want anyone else to take on the task of looking out for her. "Well, I'm glad. Now I can keep watch while you get some sleep. We can switch off."

He nodded again and that was the end of the conversation.

~H~

They walked for three days and Carol was starting to feel like she was in the middle of an area the size of the amazon rain forest. They had crossed several roads and some tracks but he never turned off onto any of them. She had no idea what he could have been looking for but she wasn't going to bother him with questions.

They were an efficient team. They worked well together because they had a good idea how the other thought. Being with him out here like this was easy, if not a little frustrating. She was starting to feel her spirits plummet. They were alone. They had been alone for days and he hadn't made the slightest move on her.

She felt stupid that it even bothered her. They had to stay vigilant. They had to keep their heads clear at all times. Just because they were in the woods didn't mean they were safe. They took out walkers all the time. But it was still frustrating. She decided to push her feelings aside and keep her chin up. She wanted it to happen again but that didn't mean that he felt the same way. What had happened that night had happened because of the situation they had found themselves in. It didn't mean that he wanted anything else.

She finally looked at him and was about to strike up a conversation but she noticed that he was studying the terrain with a different look. She scanned the area but didn't see anything amiss. She didn't hear the telltale shuffle of walkers approaching.

Instead of asking him what he was focusing on so hard she started paying closer attention to the area around them. She needed to learn everything she could from him without badgering him with constant questions, so she had learned to read his expressions and then worked on following his eyes. But right now he was looking everywhere.

She glanced down at the forest floor. She should have noticed before now that the land they were walking wasn't as difficult to navigate as it had been before. The trees here were a little smaller and the underbrush, though lush enough to trip her up if she wasn't paying attention, wasn't as thick.

"Why are the woods different here?" She asked in a low voice.

He glanced over at her, a small smile on his face. "You noticed that too, huh?"

She nodded, her eyes scanning again. "There has to be something out here. Maybe an old homestead or something. It would at least be a place to bed down for the night. Maybe we can both get a good nights sleep."

This, for some reason, won her an out right smile from the man. She tripped over a tree root because she couldn't look away from his face when he was looking at her like that. She cursed but righted herself before she could fall on her face and make herself look like a fool.

"You're observant," he said. "But I don't think it's a house. Me and Merle scoured a lot of woods before the world went to shit. We've stumbled onto a lot of old houses but I don't think there would be one this far in from the road. I mean, we're about four miles in from the highway, maybe even five. "

"So, what it is?" She asked, still flushing from her near fall.

He shook his head. "I ain't sure. There's too much land that was cleared out here for it just to be an old house. Maybe..." He shook his head again. "Hell, I'm stumped."

"I'd feel a lot better knowing what we were about to walk into." She said, moving a little closer than she needed to.

He shrugged. "We're gonna find out one way or another. One thing I can say is, at least from this direction, ain't been any people out here. That's something at least."


	3. Chapter 3

**I wrote this as a one shot and then had to break it up into chapters so this one is way longer than the other two. Hope that's okay. Also, if smut isn't your thing then you might not want to read the last half of this chapter. We're getting some seriously bad weather tonight so wish me luck! Thanks for reading!**

 **Chapter Three**

He hadn't been expecting anything like this. He had silently hoped that there would be something out here but he'd had his doubts that he would actually find anything. The two of them stood in front of a stone wall that rose above them at least nine feet. It stretched out on either side of them.

"What the hell is this place?" Carol asked, as she idly ran her hand over the rough gray stone.

He shook his head. "I don't know but we're about to find out," he said, lacing his fingers together and bending down. "Up and at'em. We're burnin' daylight here."

She stared at his hand and then at the wall. "Are you serious?"

"Either I boost you up or you boost me. Either way, lets do it quick."

She huffed and finally put one booted foot in his hands. She braced her hands on his shoulders and then let out a muted cry when he lifted her easily. She groped for the top of the wall, caught it and started lifting herself. He dropped his hands when she had a good grip on the wall but then wrapped his arms around her thighs so she wasn't just hanging there.

"What's over there," he asked when she pulled herself the rest of the way up.

She straddled the wall and then looked down sharply. "You aren't going to believe this. Get up here!" She hissed, her eyes wide and bright.

He remembered another time he'd seen her eyes alight like that and then he shook the memory. He jumped, grabbing the edge and then lifting himself up until he was straddling the wall himself. The stone was old, covered in moss and surrounded something that had his mouth dropping open.

"Jesus Christ," he muttered. "I forgot all about this place." He looked at the massive stone structure that spread out over the property.

"What is it?" She asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

He shook his head in disbelief. Back when he'd been a kid, no older than fifteen, he had gone with Merle and a bunch of his buddies and ended up at this place, drunk out of his mind. The driveway had been taken over by the woods and him and the others had walked for what had felt like miles to get to the gate. And then once they had gotten there they'd all scaled the wall. Daryl had been buzzed by the time they had made it but he remembered.

The place had been closed down for at least a century but at one time it had housed a bunch of psychos. At least that was what he had always heard growing up.

"Daryl?"

He looked over at her, taking note that she looked pale in the waning light. "I think it used to be an old asylum. I've been here before, back when I was a kid. It was closed down long before I ever came here. There's a gate but it should still be chained. Wasn't too many people around anymore that knew about this place."

"Do you think someone else has taken it?" She asked, still keeping her voice low.

He shook his head. "It don't look it. It's private property. Some old bastard with old money in his pocket. Just let it sit here. If this place ain't already taken by somebody then me and you just stumbled onto the holy fuckin' grail, woman."

"It sure as hell doesn't look like anyone has been here for a while," she said.

He bit his lip to keep back a grin. She looked scared to death. "What's got you so jumpy lookin'?"

She turned wide eyes on him. "It looks haunted."

He tried to hold it in but it didn't work. He laughed. "You've fought off walkers with nothin' but a pig sticker without batting an eye and now you're gonna tell me you're scared of an old building?"

She scowled at him but this only made it funnier. He was in a damn good mood now. This was beyond anything he'd ever dreamed of finding. The property was massive, there was a goddamn wall surrounding the whole thing and they were miles in from the nearest road. The driveway had been so overgrown Merle had barely been able to find it 30 years ago so it had to be worse now. "I'm not afraid of a building," she muttered.

He laughed again and then his eyes scanned the yard. There was no sign that anyone had been here in years. The grass was high, the trees wild and there was an air of isolation around the place. He hopped down, landing lightly on the balls of his feet and then turned, motioning for her to do the same.

She took one more look at the building and then she jumped. The look on her face reminded him of someone that knew they were about to jump into cold water. She looked up at him then, smiling slightly. "Okay, lets do this."

He nodded and then did something that surprised them both. He grabbed her hand and pulled her along with him. He didn't miss the look on her face and he nearly stopped right there. His nerves kicked up but the nervousness quickly turned into anticipation that had his pulse kicking up. If this place was clean, the walls intact, then there wasn't any reason not to figure out exactly what the fuck would happen if he were to kiss her again.

"We can check the outside first while there's still enough light to do it. That wall seemed solid enough but this place is old as dirt. Then we'll find a room to hole up in till mornin'. We can check the rest of the place once we got light," he said, veering off towards the front. He wanted to check that gate. It had been thirty years since he'd been here and anything could have happened.

~H~

Their luck held, which was shocking since the entire winter had been nothing but a long streak of horrible circumstances. It was high time they were finally able to take a moment to breath. She felt bad because she knew the others hadn't found anything like this and she prayed they were okay.

Further back from the main building, was a small stone house. Carol supposed that whoever ran the place had lived on site, or maybe the doctor that treated the patients here. Either way, not being forced to stay in the main building was a blessing in her opinion. She knew that she would get used to the place eventually, just like she got used to everything else life seemed to throw at her, but tonight, she was grateful for the house.

And she was grateful that the wall was solid and the property was devoid of walkers. The well house proved to still function and even though the water smelled a little sulfurous, they had at least been able to wash off a few layers of filth and Daryl deemed it safe to drink.

"I'm thinkin' about tellin' Rick to kiss my ass and call this house for myself. You know he's gonna claim it." Daryl muttered as he worked at getting a fire started. It wasn't freezing or anything but it was still cool enough and he must have wanted to take advantage of every amenity that the little house had to offer, starting with the fireplace. Being on the road so long, she didn't blame him.

She grinned and sat another candle on the side table. They had found a bushel of them in the old supply shed. They were ancient but they still worked. "You should. You found this place and it probably saved all our asses."

"We," he said absently. "We found this place, and you're right. As of right now, I'm a dignified home owner. Rick be damned."

She laughed, the sound echoing through the room and causing him to look up with an easy grin that she would never get used to. "I can see it now. Deer heads mounted above the mantel, your dirty socks lying around. Your bed never made. If you want I could come and clean for you. You don't strike me as the type that would take too kindly to housework."

He gave her a dry look. "Shows how much you know. Deer heads have been out of style for nearly a year now. You really wanna make a decorative statement, you mount walker heads up there. Let everyone know you're a good shot."

His face was so serious as he said this, which only made her laugh even harder. She shook her head and lit another candle just as he dusted off his hands and stood up.

"Has it really been nearly a year?" She asked, not looking at him.

"Yep."

"I wonder what day it is."

"April twenty third," he said without hesitation.

She turned then, eying him to see if he was still teasing and then remembered that there was no way he could have known the significance of the exact date he had given her. "Are you sure?"

He nodded, his eyes going back to the fire that was beginning to roar in the fireplace. "Yeah, I'm sure. Been keepin' track of shit like that."

Her hands went to her hips and she glanced around the dusty old room. "Well this is just perfect," she laughed.

That got his attention. "We've already established that."

She shook her head. "No, not that we found this place, but that we found it today of all days."

He narrowed his eyes. "What's today?"

She grinned. "My Birthday. Not that it's ever really been a big deal but I didn't even realize that it was that time of year again."

His hands went to his hips and he looked around the room. "Well shit," he muttered quietly.

"What?" she asked, tilting her head to the side to study him.

He shrugged. "The only thing I got to hand over is my house."

She laughed, incredibly pleased at this new light attitude of his. "You want to give me a house for my Birthday?"

He shook his head. "Hell nah, I worked for this. You can have half though and you agree to pick up my dirty socks. Fair trade."

She schooled her features but it didn't last long. She was grinning at him and the corner of his mouth turned up.

"You tired?" He asked suddenly.

She glanced around the room and then shrugged. "Not as tired as you'd think actually. The excitement has me a little wired. I never expected to find something like this out here. You?"

He shook his head. "Not really." He held her gaze for a few long moments but she wasn't able to read the look this time. It was a heavy and intense look. She saw something she hadn't seen before but she didn't have time to try to figure it out because suddenly he looked away and stormed right past her and out of the room.

She frowned but stayed still, her eyes going to the fire. Maybe he was going to bed after all. There was one bedroom in the place but she didn't mind taking the sofa. It was antiquated and dusty but it would beat the hell out of the frozen ground so she didn't mind at all. Before she could go test it out he was back, wrestling the mattress from the bed in the other room through the doorway.

She gaped at him as he fought with it and then pushed it over on the floor a few feet from the fireplace. When he turned that strangely intense look was still in his eyes and he closed the distance between them in just a few long strides.

She felt her eyes go wide when he didn't stop in front of her. He kept moving, his hands going to her waist, his thumbs pressing into her hipbones, until her back hit the wall. She was trapped between the wall and his solid form. He didn't make another move. He searched her eyes and she realized that he wasn't going to make another move until he knew that this was what she wanted.

Her hand snaked around and pulled his face to hers, their mouths colliding in a kiss that was instantly filled with heat. He moved quickly so she didn't even know what he was doing until her feet were off the floor, her legs wrapping securly around his waist, her back still pinned.

That was one of the great things about Daryl Dixon. Once he was in, he was all in. He didn't hesitate. He didn't show one second of insecurity as his tongue invaded her mouth, seeking. She returned it just as forcefully, needing him to know that she needed this and she needed it badly. Whatever beast he had woken up months ago on that cold ground had been pacing back and forth inside her mind, demanding to be set free but she had kept it tamed.

It wasn't in the mood to be tame anymore. Her hands moved down and she tried like hell to unbutton his shirt, but her fingers were trembling too badly and she was just too damn impatient. She'd mend it later. She pulled hard, the small sound of the buttons hitting the floor barely registering in her mind.

He pulled away then, his eyes dark and feral. She shoved the shirt from his shoulders, marveling at the wide expanse of muscle there. If she hadn't already been more turned on than she'd been in her life then this would have done her in. She pulled his face back to hers just as he stepped away from the wall, sure footed as he turned and headed towards the mattress that he had obviously brought in here for this very reason.

She tightened her legs around him when he dropped to his knees, barely catching himself with one arm once her back was on the mattress. A low growl rumbled in his chest as her hand slid down his stomach, pulling desperately at his belt. This was much better than just the second kiss that she'd been hoping for.

It took both hands for her to get his pants undone and he raised his hips away from hers when her seeking hand started working it's way into his pants. Once her hand wrapped around him he tore his mouth away from hers and panted into her neck, cursing in a low voice that she barely recognized. She explored his size with wide eyes. Running her hand up and down the thick length of his erection she smiled to herself but then he was jerking his hips away, his hand gripping her wrist and pinning her it above her head.

He raised his head and then shook it as he looked down at her. That wild look in his eyes was even more prominent now. "No good," he said, his voice a half growl.

"You didn't even let me get started," she argued, almost angrily. If he wanted good then she'd give him better than good for Christ's sake, if he'd give her a damn minute.

He laughed breathlessly. "I didn't mean it didn't feel good. I meant this ain't gonna be any good as it is. You know how long it's been since I've gotten off?"

Her mouth dropped open at that. "Probably not as long as it's been for me, trust me. Get off of me," she shoved at his chest until he came up on his knees, a look of confusion on his face. She scrambled up until she was on her knees in front of him and then her mouth went to his throat, her teeth sinking into the firm skin there and eliciting another of those predatory growls from somewhere deep in his chest.

She couldn't keep her hands off of him and he didn't seem to mind when they wondered over the expanse of his chest while she nipped his earlobe playfully. He was worried about not being able to last long enough to get the job done right so she'd do him a favor and get the first round out of the way.

He didn't try to stop her when her lips traveled down the center of his chest, her hands working once again to free him from the confines of his pants. She was thankful for the well house they'd found. They hadn't had any soap but the smell of his clean skin, all masculine, all Daryl, had her head swimming and her imagination going to places it hadn't ventured since she'd been a much younger woman. A woman that hadn't yet had to deal with the heartache of marriage and loss.

She scooted back and then dropped her head quickly, catching him off guard. He hissed when she took him into her mouth, not bothering with teasing the man. She forced her throat to relax and she moved her head down lower, impressed with herself because she very well should have been choking at the moment. But she wasn't, and the string of broken curses that tore out of his throat had her wanting to give him more, but it was impossible.

Her ass was in the air now, her mouth moving over him as her other hand came up, giving him a firm squeeze. She felt his rough hands dragging her shirt down in the back, exposing her skin and then she felt his hand slide over her ass until his fingers were pressing against her center. She moaned, the vibrations in her throat causing him to jerk slightly, curse once more and then he pressed his fingers against her harder.

She cursed herself for not thinking about taking off her goddamn pants before starting this but she didn't have much time to dwell on it because suddenly his hand moved, gripping her shoulder.

"Fuck," growled, "You gotta stop."

Well wasn't he sweet? She certainly had no plans of stopping but she appreciated the warning.

"Goddamn it, Carol," he panted, his hand going to the back of her head and his body shuddering hard. Her eyes snapped up then, meeting his gaze. His teeth sank into his bottom lip and then she felt another shudder before he came.

The look in his eyes nearly had her moaning out loud. Seeing a man like him reduced to a trembling cursing mess because of her did wonders for her ego. The raw pleasure in that gaze had her half crazed herself. She needed him to touch her because if she didn't find her own release soon she would explode.

She tucked him back into his pants before she started to raise back up on her knees but he wasn't planning on giving her a chance. He pounced then, his mouth going to her throat as her back hit the mattress. Her startled laugh ended in a surprised cry when his teeth sank into her skin.

He let go and sat back up, his fingers going to her belt, undoing it quickly. "You owe me a shirt," he said, his fingers hooking into her pants, sliding them down her legs quickly.

"If we're getting technical then yes, I owe you a shirt. And you owe me one hell of an orgasm."

His eyes widened and then he was tossing her pants to the side. He grinned, dropping over her but catching himself at the last moment with one arm. His free hand was working her shirt up so she helped him out with it. "I 'spose you're right," he drawled, dropping his head and running the flat of his tongue between her breasts. He kept himself propped up with one hand but the other slid between her legs.

Her mouth dropped open when she felt his rough fingers playing over her. How long had it been since a man touched her like this? She couldn't even remember. He moved his head and then she felt the sweet sting of his teeth grazing her nipple. At the same time he pushed two fingers into her, his thumb circling her bundle of nerves skillfully.

Her breath exploded from her lungs and her fingers tangled into his hair, dragging his mouth back up to hers. He kissed her hard and she kissed him back desperately, her body tensing already. He wasn't the only one that hadn't had anything like this in a long time and the fact that it was him only made it that much better. Even if he hadn't been quite as good as this, it wouldn't have mattered because she cared about him.

She was so close that the sensations he was strumming from her body were nearly excruciating and she knew that it was only going to get better. She felt herself start to tip over that edge and she could tell that he knew she was right there because he raised his head, met her eyes and then smiled coyly. Then he moved his hand away.

She came up on her elbows, almost gasping for breath. "What the hell are you doing!" She barked, the empty feeling left inside her was vast.

He shook his head but then, to her surprise, he started kicking off his pants. She was impressed that it hadn't taken much time for him to recover but her body was wound so tightly that the only thing she could think about was relieving the pressure.

"That was an awful thing to do," she growled when he slid back up her body.

He grinned. "You'll get over it."

She narrowed her eyes and squirmed under him impatiently but then he was moving, and the feel of him filling her up had her eyes widening and she clamped her mouth shut to keep from crying out. His forehead dropped to hers and his body stilled though she could tell that he was tense.

"Fuck," he groaned, his lips meeting hers quickly before pulling away again. "Can you get pregnant?"

She shook her head quickly and that was all he needed to hear. He started moving and her legs wound around his waist. His mouth went back to the spot where his teeth had been earlier, his tongue tracing what she assumed was a bruise already. This bruise wasn't one that she would look at later and feel ashamed of, though.

"Sorry," he muttered before he nipped her ear.

She ran her hand up the side of his neck and pulled his face back to hers, kissing him hard as their bodies rocked together in a rhythm of their own making. He was trying hard to be a gentler man than he was used to being and she loved him for it, but he didn't have to be. "I'm not gonna break. Stop holding back," she whispered against his lips.

He pulled back, staring at her for a few moments. She gasped when he gripped her by the back of the knee and hauled her leg up, thrusting hard, hitting deeper, touching parts of her that no one else she'd been with had been able to reach. His mouth was back on hers, his tongue fighting hers for dominance now and she kissed him back just as fiercely.

Only seconds had passed before she felt herself soaring towards that peak again but this time she knew he was going to let her fall. She was so worked up that she was flying now, her whole body vibrating around him. It couldn't have been a full minute since they had started but that didn't matter. Each thrust brought with it a whole new sensation and finally she felt it all shatter inside of her. His name tore out of her mouth, edged with desperation.

He dropped his head and she heard him chuckle darkly next to her ear but that was all that she registered as she rode out the pleasure and the heat racing through her. Her back arched painfully but he didn't let up. He cursed but kept up that hard rhythm until it was over until she was finally able to focus once more on what was happening. He slowed then but even with the change of pace their was a calculation to his movements, a single minded ferocity that insured that that first time would not be the only time that his body would guide hers to that explosive high tonight.

She didn't know how much time had passed, or how she had ended up on top of him, when it was finally over. The fire had died to nothing but embers and the candles she had lit were nothing but flickering stubs. A fine sheen of sweat covered them both and the only sounds in the room was their mingled pants as they both worked on catching their breath. Before she could make a move to crawl off of him he rolled until she was on her back again and then he rolled off of her, landing heavily on his own back.

She felt the chill of the room then and scurried to get the blanket pulled up. Her body was already aching but she would never complain. It was a very satisfied ache. Her lips felt swollen and the bruise on her neck throbbed but even that was a pleasant sort of pain. She stretched like a cat and then rolled over so she was facing him. Despite everything that had happened she felt sleep already trying to pull her under. The last thing she remembered was him rolling over himself, his arm going around her loosely. She was pretty sure that she fell asleep with a smile on her face.


	4. Chapter 4

**This chapter is microscopic and I'm sorry for that. I hope you like it anyway! Thanks a ton for giving this little story a shot. Now I have a ridiculously long one shot that I wrote for a sick Shelly and then it's back to working on multi chapter stories to post. I'll be around though, lurking somewhere. lol. Have a good weekend!**

 **Chapter Four**

For the first time in longer than he could remember Daryl was slow to wake up. The room was dark but only because the windows were covered with heavy drapes. Shadows dominated but he could make out the outline of a slender shoulder. Carol had rolled over sometime in the night and her ass was pressed firmly against his groin. Memories from the night before came flooding back, causing his pulse to quicken.

He grudgingly moved away from her slightly, reaching for the bottle of water that he'd left on the floor next to the mattress. He had drained half of it, not realizing that he was parched until he had taken his first drink. He felt her shift and then his eyes slid down, meeting hers in the gloom. She blinked owlishly and then, as he waited with bated breath, she grinned. He capped the bottle and offered it to her without a word. He would be a liar if he tried to say that he wasn't relieved. He wasn't sure what the hell she would think once she woke up and realized that she was naked in bed with him after spending a good portion of the night going at it like a couple of oversexed teenagers.

She sat up, clutching the blanket to her chest with one hand and then drained the bottle. "Morning," she said brightly.

His eyebrows raised at that. He glanced at the windows and the sun that was glaring beyond the drapes, leaking into the room through the small tears in the material. "I think its closer to afternoon," he said and was surprised at the rough quality of his voice. He cleared his throat.

She followed his gaze and then shrugged lightly before dropping back down onto her back. "When do we leave?" She asked, her voice still sounding bright.

He followed suit, letting his back hit the mattress hard. If she wasn't going to freak out about what happened then he sure as hell wasn't. "Few days. We can take the road back and we'll likely find a car. Took us days to get here but it'll only take an hour or so to get back. Now that I know where the hell we are anyway."

"So we get to stay here for days?" She asked, turning her head so she was looking at him.

He nodded, folding his arms behind his head. "Yep. Few days of not wakin' up and runnin' sounds damn nice."

"What if one of them have found something? What if they think it would be better than this place?" She asked.

He looked at her then and saw the frown on her face. Shaking his head he shrugged lightly. "Then they can have whatever they found but I'm comin' back here. There's no way they could have found somethin' as secure as this place. I ain't givin' it up. This goddamn house is mine. They can take the big ugly building."

"Well, I wouldn't have a choice but to come back with you. It wouldn't be right to leave you alone out here," she said, her voice filled with mock torture.

He grinned, surprised that this felt so damn easy and he found himself not really caring much what the others planned on doing. If they found something else that they would rather try out then he'd wish them luck but the thought of none of them coming out here didn't bother him in the least. He didn't need them. The only one that he needed was her and this realization didn't cause a panic like he expected it to. It was simply a fact and he was okay with it. "Would be a damn shame."

"You'd be so bored. You'd probably lose your mind without my company."

He hummed his agreement and closed his eyes, reveling in the fact that he had the option to close his eyes at all. For so long the small luxury had been denied to all of them. Even when they slept, it was usually with one eye open. Too risky to let your guard down.

He felt her shift and cracked an eye open. She was reaching for her shirt, groping in the shadows, but he wasn't about to let that happen. He raised up, catching her around the waist and hauling her back down. She rolled over to face him, her eyes still bright even though they were narrowed on him. Before she could say a word his mouth was on hers and he was hauling her up until she was straddling his hips.

She pulled back slightly, meeting his eyes. The smile on her face softened and their eyes stayed locked like that for a few long moments, both conveying a thousand messages without opening their mouths.

He nodded slightly. "Yeah, me too," he whispered, his pulse thundering.

She bit her lip and for a few seconds looked as though she might cry but he wrapped an arm around her and rolled, pinning her beneath him. She pulled his face down and then she locked her arms around his neck.

This was one of the greatest things about being here with her. About her in general. Neither one of them had to open their mouths to convey their feelings. He didn't have to scream to the world that he loved her. It was enough that she knew and it was enough that he knew the same thing. It's what made them... them.

The kiss slipped from sweet to frantic quickly and he felt her smile against his lips, like she knew what he was thinking. Hell, she probably did.


End file.
